Chapter 327 Lively
Luojiang County is busiest at two times: after the autumn harvest and before the New Year.
In previous years, the excitement after the autumn harvest might be postponed to the Double Ninth Festival. After all, after harvesting the grain, people still have to prepare for tax increases.
But there is no tax this year and the adjustment has been reduced appropriately, so everyone has some free time before the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Some villages, like Qili Village, have decided to plant winter wheat and will take advantage of this gap to visit the county town.
Therefore, the street was very lively, no less crowded than when they came here before the New Year, so Zhou Wulang and Zhou Liulang walked forward with Manbao in between, one on each side.
As for the others, of course they each follow their own parents.
Zhou Erlang knew that today was Mid-Autumn Festival and business must be particularly good. How could he bear to give up this opportunity to make money?
Zhou Dalang was also reluctant to do so, so they soaked twice as much beans last night and got up early in the morning to grind the beans to make tofu. Feng and the others also picked the vegetables to be sold today and prepared them.
Because there were so many people coming into the city, the Zhou family brought in more than three times as much goods as usual today.
County Magistrate Fu was unusually generous and notified the city gate that the entrance fee would be waived today. Anyone entering the city without weapons could enter for free!
There are many people coming into the city today, and naturally many people are selling things. Fortunately, the gang leader who has been patrolling the streets to collect protection fees has taken advantage of Zhou Erlang countless times and specially left the space that Zhou Erlang often occupied to him.
Zhou Erlang, who had arrived late because he had too many things and too many people with him, was very happy. He picked up three or four big pieces of tofu and gave them to the other party, and of course, some protection money.
After placing the items on the stall one by one, Zhou Erlang looked up and saw that his family had filled the space in front of the stall. He immediately waved his hand in disdain and said, "You guys go do what you need to do. I'll take care of this."
Zhou Dalang said, "I'll go with you. Let Lao San and the others take the children out to play."
Xiao Qian said to Zhou Sanlang, "It's rare for your sister-in-law to come to the county town. You can take the four of you to Jishitang for a visit. It's only ten cents."
Ever since He saw Chen having a difficult delivery, she has been feeling uneasy. Xiao Qian also knew about her worries. Since it was a rare opportunity for her to come to the county town, she might as well go see a doctor.
Zhou Sanlang naturally agreed, and he held the four in his arms and protected He to the pharmacy.
Xiao Qian and Feng decided to take the remaining children out for a walk. They didn't want to buy anything particularly expensive, but they did need to replenish the needlework in their room.
It would be even better if you could get some unwanted scraps of cloth from the cloth shop.
Zhou Xi naturally went with them.
They have many children to take care of, but Datou Daya and Ertou Erya often come to the county town and are more familiar with it than their own mother.
Plus they can also help look after their younger siblings, so the older ones take care of the younger ones, and the adults keep a watchful eye, and basically everything will be fine.
After everyone had agreed, they set off.
Xiao Qian and her two companions took away a bunch of children in one go, and the space in front of the stall suddenly became much emptier.
Customers attracted by the flow of people here immediately took advantage of the opportunity to come over and ask, "What are you selling here that's so busy?"
Zhou Erlang immediately greeted them enthusiastically, "Various vegetables, tofu, live fish, and fried small fish."
Zhou Erlang brought over a wooden barrel and gestured to the customer to look at the live fish inside. He said cheerfully, "We caught them all from the river yesterday. We kept them overnight, so the earthy smell has faded a bit, but they're still very fresh. Today is Mid-Autumn Festival, why don't you buy one and take it home to try?"
The customer, who originally just wanted to buy some vegetables, hesitated for a moment and asked, "How much is a pound?"
"It's not expensive, it's not expensive, ten cents a pound, cheaper than pork. Eat fish often and you'll live longer!"
"Is there any basis for this?"
"Of course there is. It was said by a very capable and well-read person." - his youngest sister Manbao.
Zhou Silang realized he couldn't help, so he looked at Manbao and saw her secretly eating small fish from a basin. He silently took Fang's hand and said, "Come on, let's go for a walk."
Fang hesitated, "Shouldn't we stay and help?"
"Don't worry, my second brother has been running the stall for so many years, no matter how many customers come, he can never be enough to handle them."
Manbao not only ate it himself, but also shared it with his fifth and sixth brothers.
Zhou Wulang and Zhou Liulang looked around and ate every fish Manbao fed them. They only paid attention to them after Zhou Dalang and Zhou Erlang sent away two more groups of guests.
Zhou Erlang reached out and slapped Manbao's hand away. He took a piece of dried leaf, put some small fish in it, wrapped it up, and handed it to her, saying, "Go and have fun. We have to go back early today."
Manbao took it happily and left with his fifth and sixth brothers contentedly.
They did not go to play with Miss Fu Er immediately, but instead walked around the street first.
Early this morning, Manbao took out twenty cents from the savings of her fifth and sixth brothers and gave them to each of them, and then she decided to follow them to eat at their rich man's house.
They were in a hurry to get out in the morning, and each of them only had a bowl of porridge and tofu pudding.
After walking for a while, Manbao felt hungry, not to mention Zhou Wulang and Zhou Liulang, otherwise they would not have secretly picked up the small fish to eat.
So when Manbao came to a wonton stall, he couldn't move anymore.
Zhou Wulang also swallowed his saliva, then stepped forward to ask the price, "How much is a bowl of wontons?"
It wasn't even noon yet, and not many people were eating at the wonton stand. The stall owner had time to glance at the three children and said with a smile, "Six coins a bowl."
Zhou Liulang lowered his voice and said, "It's very expensive. It used to be five cents."
Although he had never eaten it, he often came to the county town to sell candy, and he always saw other people eating it, and he wanted to eat it more than once.
The stall owner heard this and explained, "This is considered cheap. In May and June, it was ten cents a bowl. Although the autumn harvest is over now, the price of grain is still rising. We don't make much money at six cents a bowl."
Manbao thought about it and agreed. Recently, their vegetables have been selling at a higher price than usual.
Zhou Wulang and Zhou Liulang knew this, so they hesitated for a moment before saying, "Give us three bowls, no, two bowls."
Zhou Wulang said to Manbao, "Let's eat less. What if we see something delicious later?"
Manbao felt that what his fifth brother said was right, so he nodded in agreement.
The stall owner was used to it and cooked two bowls of wontons for them with a smile, and gave them an extra bowl.
Manbao thanked him happily, took the empty bowl and sat aside waiting for her two brothers to share her food.
Fu Wenyun pushed open the window facing the street, looked down and saw her.
There was no way, Manbao was white, tender and round, and he was particularly conspicuous sitting among a group of dark country people.
Fu Wenyun couldn't help but smile, and turned to Qiuyue and said, "Go and invite Manbao up."
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
